NYPD Commissioner Sends Memo: Indians Are Asians, Not American Indians

A recent report showed the NYPD wrongly categorized some crime victims and suspects as American Indians.

By Von Diaz Sep 13, 2013

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly issued a memo on Monday to address ‘incorrect racial identification’ used by the NYPD.  According to a report from the NYPD’s Quality Assurance Division, police officers mistakenly identified crime suspects and victims who are Indian as "American Indian" instead of Asian.  Sometimes a person was labeled as both Asian and American Indian, although apparently the error was not widespread.

Colorlines.com publisher Rinku Sen is quoted by the New York Daily News, saying she appreciates the efforts made by the NYPD.

"The memo might give police officers the chance to understand the difference between American Indians and Asian Indians," she said.

In a city like New York, which has the largest population of Native Americans and Alaska Natives in the country, this move by the NYPD is a notable effort to correct inaccurate racial categorizations, and increase awareness in a police department notorious for racial profiling

(h/t New York Daily News)